Willtaker, the Veiled Crown

The First Artifact of the Age of Extant

Credits to Snou (Olesia Derkachova) on ArtStation for the cover art/visual concept!

Willtaker, the Veiled Crown is the first artifact forged in the Age of Extant. With power rivalling that of the great artifacts made during the Age of Rebirth, Willtaker is an impossibly powerful magical crown; but, as with all great powers, it exacts a terrible price. But, for some, that price is more than worth it.
Willtaker was forged by Zekral Kilth, former Red Star of Cthrion and Exiled Prince of the drow kingdom of Thalos. It was he who led his forces to take the Blasted Crater and held it for a handful of days, and he who discovered the truth of the crater -- that it held a broken fragment of Willbreaker, the Black Blade, the divine weapon of Narvox. He toiled for three days and nights to break away even enough shards to forge this crown, though he knew not that Willtaker was their fate at the time. He knew only that the shards could give him a chance to rewrite his fate and undo the damage he had done.
With the shards, Zekral travelled to the City of Veils: the hidden, floating city-fortress that once carried Laaelum and her greatest followers across Ipacia. There, he bargained with Laaelum's god-spirit for the knowledge to reforge his destiny. He paid a heavy price -- and would continue to do so -- but learned all he needed to change his fate. He broke free of Cthrion's influence wholly and, with Laaelum's aid, created Willtaker.

The Crown of Tri-Divinity

Willtaker is forged from the divine essence of three gods: Narvox, Yamma, and Laaelum. Narvox's energy suffuses the crown as it was forged from shards of Willbreaker, the Black Blade and weapon of Narvox, the King in Black. The fragment that the shards were taken from was permeated by Yamma's energy for it was he who broke it, and that latent energy was captured into the three gems within the crown. And finally, it was Laaelum who granted the knowledge and the power to forge Willtaker, and her influence rests over it all.
Because of this tri-god influence, Willtaker is able to manifest certain aspects of each god's domains and abilities. It is these different divine strengths that coalesce in Willtaker to make it what it is.

Willtaker, the Veiled Crown

Wondrous item (crown), artifact (requires attunement)
Willtaker is, perhaps, the most powerful magical item in all of Yophas. It certainly rivals the different relics of Krathum or the various mythical artifacts of the Age of Rebirth, and surpasses even the Remnants of the Reckoning. But, it is a creation of the Obsidian Lords. Even if it was wrought by mortal hands, the influence of Narvox and Laaelum is not so easily resisted.
Random Properties. Willtaker has the following randomly determined properties:

• 1 minor beneficial properties
• 1 major beneficial properties
• 1 minor detrimental properties
• 2 major detrimental properties

A "normal" Willtaker has the following properties:

• While attuned to Willtaker, you can use an action to cast message from it.
• While attuned to Willtaker, you can use an action to cast tether essence from it. After you cast the spell, roll a d6. On a roll of 1-5, you can't cast it again until the next dawn.
• While attuned to Willtaker, all holy water within 10 feet of you is destroyed.
• When you first attune to Willtaker, you gain the indefinite madness: “Achieving my goal is the only thing of interest to me, and I’ll ignore everything else to pursue it.”
• When you first attune to Willtaker, you must succeed on a DC 30 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, Laaelum gives you a time or objective. Upon reaching that day or successfully completing that objective, you then become an NPC under the DM's control as Laaelum overpowers your mind through Willtaker.

Adjusted Ability Scores. When you attune to Willtaker, one ability score of your choice increases by 2, to a maximum of 24. Another ability score of your choice decreases by 2, to a minimum of 3. Willtaker can't adjust your ability scores again.
Spells. Willtaker has 12 charges. You can use an action and expend 1 or more charges to cast one of the following spells (save DC 18) from it: fortune's favor (1 charge), counterspell (3rd-level) (2 charges), enemies abound (3 charges), pulse wave (3 charges), gravity sinkhole (4 charges), telepathic bond (4 charges), dominate person (5 charges), temporal shunt (5 charges), crown of stars (7 charges). You ignore the material components for these spells. You regain 1d8+4 expended charges every day, at dawn.
The Veiled Crown. Willtaker appears different to everyone who views it, looking like what they perceive to be the "perfect" crown as opposed to its true form. Because of the presence of dark and light divine magics, it deceives all attempts to discern its true appearance or function, save for a wish spell. The true form of Willtaker is only seen by its wielder and creatures with truesight.
Additionally, when creatures speak of Willtaker's appearance, those around hear descriptions that match the form they see. The Veiled Crown contorts the reality of those who view it to maintain its hidden state.
Laaelum's Blessing. Willtaker can serve as your arcane focus. While attuned to it and using it as your arcane focus, Willtaker grants you a +3 bonus to your spell attack rolls and spell save DC. Also, you can cast disguise self at will.
Peer Through the Veil. Willtaker allows you to peer beyond the veil and glean the universal secrets of Yophas. When you make an Arcane or History check related to magic or the planes, you can add a d4 to the roll. Also, you can access and learn Dunamancy spells (as described in Explorer's Guide to Wildemount), if you are a spellcaster.
Tyranny. When you attune to Willtaker, you gain advantage on all Charisma-based ability checks. Additionally, your alignment becomes lawful evil.
Blood of Yamma. While attuned to Willtaker, you gain resistance to radiant damage. Additionally, your lies go unnoticed by angels.
Destroying Willtaker, the Veiled Crown. Willtaker can only be destroyed through a series of steps: first, it must be bathed in the antimagic light of Iathildos, the Deadlight of Eternity, deep in the reaches of Xeccamund. Next, it must be struck by true lightning atop the highest peak of Isathra. Then, it must be struck by a Remnant of the Reckoning that has regained all of its ancient, divine power, before finally being cast down from the peak of the Great Pillar. Any other attempt to destroy Willtaker or remove it from reality -- including wish or casting it out into the depths of Xeccamund -- will appear successful, but inevitably prove useless as Laaelum guides it back into mortal hands over the course of decades or centuries.

Item type

Unique Artifact